Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO is hosting the second National Summit for Community Wireless Networks March 31-April 2.

The summit is the largest gathering of community wireless networking developers, implementers and allies focused on building the alliance of technologists, policy experts, and implementers and encouraging participants to disucss the great variety of challenges and opportunities facing the wireless movement.

The first summit last year was a seminal event and helped launch the community wireless networking movement. The Lindenwood summit is being hosted by the Mid Rivers Community Wireless Network and the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network. Nearly 500 attendees are expected.

"This is going to be a huge success," said Brian Bush, Lindenwood's director of information services and the vice president of Mid Rivers Community Wireless Network. "Wireless saves so much money in a community that it can't be ignored. This summit will help people understand how to make this happen."

Some of the issues to be discussed include:

-How can community wireless networks better serve their target populations?

-What is the future of unlicensed spectrum and what policies and regulations will support/hamper innovations in community wireless technologies?

-How can the hundreds of independently-operating community wireless initiatives join together to create a positive future for the movement?

-What technological and software innovations already exist, and what projects are currently being worked on?

-What are the pros and cons of different wireless systems currently available?

The three day summit allows participants to engage in extended conversations with presenters and with one another. Attendees will help develop strategic plans to expand community wireless network deployment and ensure that they federal government regulates spectrum to increase unlicensed access.